Folding umbrella.



S. J. CLARK.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 16, 1912.

1,121,977. Patented Dec.22,1914.

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Inv a n lIu r.

Wines-sea. 7 .37.97 Lu. STUART rlBLARK.

UNITED STATES FATE ornion.

STUART J. CLARK, OF AUBURN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO AUGUST EPLEY, 0F AUBURN, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 16, 1912. Serial No. 726,116.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STUART J. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Auburn, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to umbrellas of the class which are adapted to be folded to 00- cupy short space for convenience in packing in a trunk or handbag.

This invention is a modification and improvement of the invention set forth in United States Patent No. 973,406, folding umbrella, granted to me October 18, 1910.

The purpose of this invention is to provide in connection with a hinged staff, a sleeve adapted to slide on the staff and within which the stafi may be partially rotated, and adapted to cover and conceal the hinge of the staff and likewise adapted to control the movement of the ribs and braces during the raising, lowering, or folding of the umbrella.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing to which reference is hereby made and is hereinafter particularly described and finally recited in the appended claim.

Figure 1 is an enlarged broken elevation, partly in section, of the staff, the sleeve, and the clutch for effecting partial rotation of the staff within the sleeve. Fig. 2 is an enlarged developed plan of part of the sleeve and the clutch and shows in dotted lines the sleeve disengaged from and raised slightly above the clutch.

Similar reference numerals designate like parts in both views.

The stafi 1 is preferably a metal rod of suitable dimensions.

A pedestal 4c is secured on a handle 5 and has at its upper end a circular rim 46. It also has a central bore a accommodating the lower end of the stafi" 1 so that the staff may rotate in the bore.

The clutch member 6 is secured on the staff 1 by a transverse pin 1 The lower staff-member is adapted to rotate in the hole 4P in the pedestal 4L, and the hole 5 in the handle 5. The clutch-member 6 has a central chamber 6 accommodating a spring 7. It also has an internal circular channel 6 in which the circular rim 4* of the pedestal fits loosely so that the clutch may be turned on the rim of the pedestal and the rim will prevent longitudinal movement of the clutch. The clutch also has a notch 6 accommodating a tooth 8 on the sleeve 8.

A helical spring 7 surrounds the stall" wlthin the chamber 6 One end of the spring is connected with the clutch 6 and the other end is connected with the pedestal l, and the spring is effective to rotate the clutch as hereinafter described.

The sleeve 8 surrounds the staff 1 and has a tooth 8 adapted to enter the notch 6 in the clutch 6. The inclined lower end of the sleeve conforms to the inclined upper end of the clutch so that if the sleeve be gripped in the hand to keep it from turning and the clutch be turned, the inclined upper surface of the clutch will slide on the inclined lower surface of the sleeve.

When the tooth 8 is retracted from the notch 6 the sleeve may be slid upward on the staff. When the tooth is in the notch it will prevent upward sliding of the sleeve.

The staff 1 is in two parts connected by a suitable hinge 20. When the sleeve is depressed the hinge 20 is within the sleeve and the sleeve keeps the staff rigid. If the sleeve he slid upward above the hinge 20 the hinge will be free to turn so that the lower staff-member and connected parts may be folded to occupy a position approximately parallel to the upper staff-member.

To fold the umbrella handle the sleeve 8 will be grasped in one hand and the clutch 6 will be rotated with the other hand to withdraw the tooth 8 from the notch 6 and the sleeve will then be pushed upward to uncover the hinge. The lower member of the staff will then be turned upward on its hinge to complete the folding of the umbrella handle.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a folding umbrella, the combination of a handle; a pedestal stationary on the handle and having a circular rim and a central bore; a hinged staff rotative in the bore of the pedestal; a chambered clutch rigidly connected with the staff and rotative on the rim of the pedestal and having an inclined end and a notch; a spring within the chamber of the clutch, adapted to be compressed by rotating the clutch in one direction and acting to rotate the clutch and the connected staff in the reverse direction; and a sleeve Patented Dec. 22, 1914..

Signed at Auburn, Illinois, this 20th day normally covering the hinge of the stud and g of April, 1912.

adapted to slide on the staff to uncover the hinge, and rotative'on the rim of the pedestal and having an inclined end adapted to STUART GLARK' engage on the inclined end of the clutch and Witnesses: a tooth adapted to engage in the notch of the A. JACOBS, clutch. A. A. HARNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissionermf Patents,

Vfashington, D. C. 

